Penguins at Capitals
The Washington Capitals don't need to be reminded that a team can rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a series - after all, they were on the wrong side of history last year. The Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals look to stave off elimination on Saturday when they host the Metropolitan Division-rival Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
"We were in a reverse situation last year where, Game 5, you know, we had a team basically pretty well down and out," Washington coach Barry Trotz said after his team squandered a 3-1 series advantage and succumbed to the New York Rangers. "(Captain Ryan McDonagh) threw a puck to the net and it hits one of our defensemen, goes in, and they end up winning in overtime and that sort of changed it." While the Capitals have overcome a 3-1 series deficit on two occasions (1989, 2009), the Penguins have seen the bottom fall out in that scenario three times - with the Rangers accomplishing the feat most recently in 2014. Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang will do his best to make sure history doesn't repeat itself when he returns from a one-game suspension to play in Saturday's tilt.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVAS
ABOUT THE PENGUINS: The line of Nick Bonino (one goal, three assists), Carl Hagelin (two goals, two assists) and Phil Kessel (two assists) have stepped it up a notch with captain Sidney Crosby (one assist) and fellow superstar Evgeni Malkin (one goal, one assist) struggling to find their offense in this series. "I think we try to push each other," Hagelin told reporters. "We have a good mix on the line. (Bonino) is an extremely smart player, picking up passes in the middle and winning battles down low. We know Phil has a rip of a shot and is an extremely great skater ... I'm just trying to be out there to find pucks, use my speed." Bonino is tied with Crosby (three goals, six assists) and Malkin (three goals, six assists) for the team lead with nine points while Kessel's eight points match Patric Hornqvist, who scored his club-best fifth goal 2:34 into overtime to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 win on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Captain Alex Ovechkin was reunited with countryman Evgeny Kutznetsov and T.J. Oshie on the top line during Friday's practice and Marcus Johansson joined Nicklas Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky on the second line. "Using the other side of your brain once in a while when you're with someone different in the lineup," Trotz told the Washington Post of the line changes. The three-time Hart Trophy-winning Ovechkin recorded 16 points in the 12 contests he was paired with Kuznetsov, who has been limited to just two points (one goal, one assist) and is a minus-4 in the playoffs.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh D Olli Maatta (upper body) is likely to miss his third straight game on Saturday.
2. Washington C Mike Richards (flu) is expected to play in Game 5, Trotz told reporters on Friday.
3. The Penguins are 0-for-14 on the power play in the series after going 8-for-21 in the first round.